Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a heat dissipation system for a nuclear reactor, in particular for a pressurized water reactor, having a containment shell which is surrounded by a concrete construction of a reactor building and in turn surrounds the nuclear reactor as its containment, and a sump volume in a lower region of the containment shell for receiving coolant.
As the point of departure for the present invention, it is noted that such a heat dissipation system could make it possible to increase the inherent safety of nuclear reactor plants, either by retrofitting existing nuclear power plants, especially of the pressurized water reactor type, or by new construction of nuclear reactor plants that are to be built. The heat dissipation system according to the invention should develop its advantageous effects both in so-called design malfunctions and in events that exceed design situations. It is especially the design-exceeding events (core meltdown accidents) that have gained increasing attention recently which require systematic devices for long-term residual heat and energy dissipation from the reactor containment shell, in order to minimize possible effects on the environment.